84-year-old's death to air on TV

The Nine Network has defended a decision to broadcast the death of an 84-year-old cancer sufferer, due to air at 8.30pm tomorrow night.

The episode of science program Inside the Human Body caused outrage when it screened in the UK last month.

The BBC documentary showed lung and liver cancer sufferer Gerald taking his last breaths as he lay on his death bed.

Gerald, whose last name was not released, allowed cameras to film his death after he realised he had no chance for recovery.

"I don't want to die but evidently, unless some miracle happens I ain't going to be here very long so let's get on with my life as best I can," he says on the program.

"I'm not frightened. I believe it will not be just like cutting off tape with some scissors."

Despite fears the footage is too disturbing to be shown on television, the Nine Network is going ahead with the broadcast.

"We accept that, for many people, to watch this may be a challenging experience," a Nine spokesperson said.

"It is the role of television to tackle sometimes confronting subjects and death is a significant part of the overall human experience."

Woman's Weekly editor-in-chief Helen McCabe said while she wouldn't watch the show with young children, she said it should air.

"To watch an 84-year-old man die naturally and be happy to be filmed and say that he has enjoyed every moment of his life, I don't know that that is as confronting as some people would think it is," she said on TODAY.